Intimate, elegant and peaceful, the gardens of the Vrtbovský Palác in Prague are perhaps one of the best-kept “open secrets” in Europe. Surrounded by the ornate palace and flanked by the U.S. Embassy, this sculptured hillside garden retreat is owned by the city and is open to visitors, but it can also be booked for private events like weddings and private gatherings. The gardens can host ultra-romantic and private affairs for two or grand open-air celebrations for hundreds.

The gardens are drenched with history and carefully cultured topiary alike; the palace and gardens are a UNESCO World Heritage site and every vantage point serves you with painterly scenes. Terraces, patterned walks, elegant statues and water features are adorned with perfectly trimmed ivy walls and topiary trees. (The décor includes sculptures of the Olympian gods, including renowned signature works by Matthias Bernard Braun.)

The garden was created a century later by Jan Josef, the Count of Vrtba between 1715 and 1720 while the Vrtba family possessed the palace with the garden till 1799.